1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for transferring energy from a high temperature source to a low temperature source and for simultaneously generating mechanical work. More specifically, the present invention concerns utilizing a closed circuit system having refrigerant as a working medium wherein refrigerant is vaporized at a high temperature source such as a solar collector and is condensed in a heat sink such as a body of fluid to be heated. The gaseous refrigerant flowing between the evaporator and the condenser of the system is used to power a refrigerant motor which converts energy from the refrigerant into mechanical work for use either as a pump within the system for circulating refrigerant or for some external motive requirement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention concerns a closed circuit refrigeration system wherein refrigerant is evaporated at a high temperature source to absorb heat and condensed at a low temperature source to reject heat. Therebetween energy from the gaseous refrigerant may be utilized in a refrigerant motor to provide mechanical work.
Prior art devices have utilized temperature differentials to provide motive source. Prior solar heaters have also used refrigerant including the change of state of the refrigerant for transferring heat energy. Additionally, solar energy has been utilized in various methods to provide pumping energy.
However, the herein apparatus utilizes a high temperature source to provide both energy for heat transfer and mechanical work by providing a refrigerant motor for mechanical work in combination with such a system and without a separate energy input.
More specifically, prior art systems have utilized the changing of location of a solar collector to provide for mechanical motion in combination with chambers which are heated and cooled through solar energy to provide for a solar energy pump. Low temperature and atmospheric motors utilizing temperature differentials have also been utilized. Refrigerant has been utilized to transfer heat from a high temperature to a low temperature source wherein the pressure generated by the evaporation of refrigerant at the high temperature source is utilized to create a flow through the system. Therein, there is no utilization of motor powered by refrigerant to provide mechanical work to power a pump for circulating refrigerant.
Other prior art includes utilizing a refrigerant system having a diaphragm to provide hydraulic pressure to a hydraulic circuit for operating a pump. However, this apparatus includes the use of the circulating pump having a power input from an external source for providing circulation of refrigerant therethrough. Other prior art devices have used refrigeration circuits to transfer heat between two heat sources with utilization of a mechanical pump supplied with electrical energy from an external source for circulating the heat exchange fluid.
The utilization of a refrigerant motor to provide for circulation of refrigerant in such a system may be advantageous since in a typical residential application the solar collectors are mounted on the roof of a residence and the hot water tank to which heat energy is rejected is located in the basement. A substantial head is created between the two elevations and a pump may be necessary to circulate refrigerant therebetween.
The herein invention utilizes the energy input to the refrigerant at the high temperature source such as a solar collector to vaporize refrigerant such that the energized refrigerant may be utilized to both drive a refrigerant motor for supplying mechanical work and to transfer heat energy to a lower temperature heat sink. The combination allows a solar energy system to be utilized without any external energy input. Such a system may be added to existing homes to provide heat energy on a basis of supplying such energy only when it is available. No internal energy is used for running circulating pumps or other devices such that the system may operate only when it is advantageous. Additionally, a system of this type may be utilized to convert heat energy into mechanical energy for accomplishing various purposes. These purposes might include operating a pump, generating electricity or operating a compressor of a separate vapor compression refrigeration system.